Part 3
SURPRISES
The most rewarding experiences I’ve had in nature weren’t necessarily summiting a peak or completing a hike.
Instead, they’re the small, often overlooked moments that have a lasting impact on me. Nature has taught me a priceless lesson: Life is a compilation of these small, “in-between” moments that collectively tell our story and can only be accessed by deliberate slowness. Learning this has led me to appreciate my life more, making each day feel fuller and each minute more textured.
Learning this has led me to appreciate my life more, making each day feel fuller and each minute more textured.
Going fast, I would have missed out on so many good moments — A spontaneous encounter with a fox stumbling out of the forest when I was sitting down for a break on a log. The time a stroll in the woods unexpectedly turned into a gourmet outdoor meal with friends just because I paused and squatted down, only to find a massive mushroom colony right beneath my feet. Stopping long enough to see how the setting winter sun illuminated a frozen droplet from a spruce needle, transforming it into a shimmering gem.
There’s so much out there. We need to be ready for it.
But it’s not just the speed, but also our outlook. Nature wants to surprise us, and it’s not that the wonder isn’t there but that we’re not ready to see it or that we are unwilling to follow that little tug of curiosity when it comes. I warmly remember the embrace of a sunset after a spontaneous hike up a ski hill or the serenity of washing my hands in a still forest stream that I found by simply taking a path I usually didn’t. There’s so much out there. We need to be ready for it.
A perfect example of this happened just recently. I was wading through dense foliage on a mushroom hunt. It’s fall, and the colours are just starting to change. My eyes are glued to the forest floor. While searching for mushrooms, I suddenly find quite another wonder in front of my eyes. A perfect spiderweb, its architect poised in the center. I halt my quest to capture this little marvel with my camera. Just then, a mosquito lands on the web as if on cue. The spider springs into action, wrapping its prey in a ballet of speed and precision before returning to its meditative stillness. I had never seen this before, but because I was available and open to it, I was able to have this fantastic moment.
Taking the time to notice, pause, and capture these details has allowed me to align myself with nature’s rhythm and see many things that would otherwise have remained hidden. These seemingly insignificant moments become the tales I recount when I return home. They’re my reminders of the beauty, and unexpected wonder nature bestows upon those who genuinely look. Whether it’s the forest floor, a spiderweb, or the briefest encounters with wildlife, these are the personal and photographic snapshots that define my journey through the great outdoors and, in the end, life itself.
I quickly learnt that in nature having too much speed often meant missing out on so much beauty. To see it all, you need to go slower.
DISCOVER OM-5